

Tuesday 9th of March 2021 and I met my Guide from CYPRUS BIRD WATCHING TOURS on the street at 6 o'clock. A little early today as we have to drive to Limassol to look for birds. We took off driving towards east and our first stop at Akrotiri Marsh (Phasouri Reed-beds)
There are two bird hides at the eBird hotspot: Akrotiri Marsh (Phasouri Reed-beds) and we started in the south hide overlooking the reeds. And we could see that the reeds was covering a big area. Gorgeous morning and beautiful weather so I really enjoyed the stay in the bird hide.
We spotted a beautiful Marsh Harrier looking for food over the Akrotiri Marsh.
View from the hide
View from the hide
Western Marsh Harrier
Black-tailed Godwit / นกปากแอ่นหางดำ
Black-tailed Godwit / นกปากแอ่นหางดำ
We spotted a big group of Cattle Egrets on the other side of the reeds and we drove there to have a look. We reach the other side of the reeds and there is wetland in front of the reeds and there were many birds. We stopped and we saw a couple of Snipes and three Black-tailed Godwits having their morning bath.
What a beautiful area, there were hundreds of Coots sitting together. I have never seen so many Coots together before. There were cattle walking around in the marsh and there was also around 45 Cattle Egrets in the area.
Baby cow
Common Snipe
Cattle Egret
The reeds in front of the second bird hide had not been cut for a very long time so it was impossible to see anything. We walked back to the car and we continued along the marsh. We spotted one single Starling sitting in the field.
A little later we spotted another one and I reported two Starlings in my eBird app.
We had a group of 5 Starlings flying in to the field and I reported them on my eBird app. Now the report turned red as it was too many Starlings reported and I had to make a remark about the sighting. we were soon spotting five more Starlings.
Stonechat
Starling
Spur-winged Lapwing or Spur-winged Plover
I spotted 4 Ibises and also a few Ruffs. The Ruffs are on the way north and I hope to see the lek in Finland in May. So I might get to see the exact same birds I spotted here today. Ruff have an amazing breeding plumage and this is something I really look forward to.
We had seen quite a few birds of prey, Marsh Harrier, Common Kestrel and the Common Buzzard.
Common Kestrel
Common Buzzard
Today's track at Akrotiri Marsh (Phasouri Reed-beds)
eBird Report
Akrotiri Marsh (Phasouri Reed-beds), Lemesos, Cyprus Mar 9, 2021 06:48 - 08:34
Protocol: Traveling
5.2 kilometer(s)
Checklist Comments: Bird watching with Cyprus Bird Watching Tours.
27 species
Northern Shoveler 1
Mallard 2
Eurasian Teal 5
Little Grebe 5
Feral Pigeon 150
Common Woodpigeon 2
Collared Dove 3
Common Moorhen 12
Eurasian Coot 100
Spur-winged Lapwing 10
Black-tailed Godwit 3
Ruff 3
Common Snipe 2
Cattle Egret 45
Glossy Ibis 4
Western Marsh Harrier 2
Common Buzzard 1
Common Kestrel 2
Common Magpie 1
Hooded Crow 30
Common Chiffchaff 1
Cetti's Warbler 1
Common Starling 12 First and second seen alone on the field. Then a group of 5 flying over us and before we left 5 others flying in over the field
European Stonechat 3
House Sparrow 7
White Wagtail (alba) 8
Tree Pipit 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S83058034
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
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I turn off my eBird app and I start the app again after having changed the area to Akrotiri Gravel pits. We drive through the landscape and we are soon spotting Hopooe.
We passed a gorgeous Stonechat next to the road and I could get a picture. We drove along the dirt track when suddenly my Guide stood on the brake. We got back a few meters and we spotted a few Grey Plovers through the hole in the dyke. GOOD SPOTTED!
We drove through the hole and we saw the Grey Plovers but we never came close enough for pictures as the birds ran away from us. But we got to see a few Kentish Plovers before we left the gravel pits.
European Stonechat
Today's track at Akrotiri Gravel pits
eBird Report
Akrotiri Gravel pits (34.621, 32.927), Lemesos, Cyprus Mar 9, 2021 08:35 - 09:05
Protocol: Traveling
4.9 kilometer(s)
Checklist Comments: Bird watching with Cyprus Bird Watching Tours.
7 species
Grey Plover 4
Kentish Plover 3
Common Buzzard 1
Eurasian Hoopoe 1
Sardinian Warbler 1
European Stonechat 2
Isabelline Wheatear 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S83058281
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
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We stopped at a kiosk to buy some crisps before we continued to the Lady's Mile Beach. We drive along and we see a lot of flamingos sleeping in the ponds along the Lady's Mile Beach. We stopped to look at Little Stints, around 20 of them. A little too far away for any good pictures.
There was also a few Little Egrets in the ponds west of the Lady's Mile Beach. East side of the Lady's Mile Beach we have the Mediterranean and no gulls today. So this was a little disappointing as I had been hoping for some gulls today.
Sleeping Flamingos
Sleeping Flamingos
Sleeping Little Stint
Reaching the end of the Lady's Mile Beach and we have a pond on the right hand side and it is full of Black-headed Gulls. My Guide looks at the gulls and he is discovering one Armenian Gull and one Heuglin's Gull among all the Black-headed Gulls.
What a shame! I would like to have some pictures of these two gulls. Well, I might see them again some other time and hopeful I will be able to get some pictures.
Today's track at Lady's Mile Beach
eBird Report
Lady's Mile Beach, Lemesos, Cyprus Mar 9, 2021 09:19 - 09:41
Protocol: Traveling
4.77 kilometer(s)
Checklist Comments: Bird watching with Cyprus Bird Watching Tours.
8 species
Greater Flamingo 60
Little Stint 20
Black-headed Gull 150
Armenian Gull 1 Together with one Heugelin's Gull and 100 Black-headed Gulls
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Heuglin's) 1 Together with one Armenian Gull and 100 Black-headed Gulls
Little Egret 5
Hooded Crow 4
White Wagtail (alba) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S83058611
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
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We park the car at Zakaki Marsh bird hide and the area look like shit. Garbage everywhere and some twats have had the kindness to duck up the hide filling it with garbage.
But they had cut the reeds so we could see in to the marsh. Last time I was here it was like looking in to a wall of reed.
They have cut some reeds so we can see in to the marsh
Western Marsh Harrier
Today's track at Zakaki (Ζακάκι) Marsh
eBird Report
Zakaki (Ζακάκι) Marsh, Lemesos, Cyprus Mar 9, 2021 09:43 - 10:02
Protocol: Stationary
Checklist Comments: Bird watching with Cyprus Bird Watching Tours.
5 species
Common Moorhen 1
Western Marsh Harrier 1
Eurasian Hoopoe 1
European Robin 1
White Wagtail (alba) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S83058801
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
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We leave Zakaki Marsh and we drive to the outlet, eBird hotspot: Zakaki (Ζακάκι) Marsh--Run-off Marsh. We have to stop the car and walk out to the salt lake as the area is muddy and we don't want to get stuck in the mud with the car.
Walking towards the salt lake
Walking towards the salt lake
Walking towards the salt lake
Reaching the salt lake
Hooded Crow
Not ma6ny birds to be seen, and I was disappointed as I really want to see waders. Maybe to early for them. They should be in north Europe in May to have babies. Well, I hope to see them in Sweden in breeding plumage. Anyway, here was nothing to see and we walked back to the car.
Today's track at Zakaki (Ζακάκι) Marsh--Run-off Marsh
eBird Report
Zakaki (Ζακάκι) Marsh--Run-off Marsh, Lemesos, Cyprus Mar 9, 2021 10:05 - 10:41
Protocol: Traveling
5.35 kilometer(s)
Checklist Comments: Bird watching with Cyprus Bird Watching Tours.
8 species
Mallard 4
Black Francolin 1
Greater Flamingo 100
Great White Egret 1
Hooded Crow 1
Crested Lark 1
European Stonechat 1
Isabelline Wheatear 3
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S83059181
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
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We will look for the Griffon Vultures on the way back to Paphos. We decided to go to the eBird hotspot: Bishop's Farm--Pool on the way to the vulture area. We were hungry as well so we will have our picnic lunch there.
We brought our picnic lunch in to the bird hide and we enjoyed the food while looking out over the pool. There were more Northern Shovelers than I could count. And we also had a Black-winged Stilt just below the bird hide.
I had not expected any Black-winged Stilt as I have just seen them south of Europe. And I have seen millions of them and I am never excited to see them. But I was excited to see one in Europe.
Northern Shoveler
Today's track at Bishop's Farm--Pool
eBird Report
Bishop's Farm--Pool, Lemesos, Cyprus
Mar 9, 2021 10:49 - 11:39
Protocol: Traveling
1.48 kilometer(s)
Checklist Comments: Bird watching with Cyprus Bird Watching Tours.
7 species
Northern Shoveler 30
Eurasian Teal 1
Ferruginous Duck 1
Eurasian Coot 3
Black-winged Stilt 1
Black Redstart 1
House Sparrow 10
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S83059867
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
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We spent an hour waiting for the vultures to show up. They are nesting on the cliffs but they fly to the mountains to get food. And last time I was here we could see them when they returned in the afternoon. But today no sign of the birds.
Griffon Vulture Area
Today's track at Griffon Vulture Area
eBird Report
Griffon Vulture Area (34.67, 32.846), Lemesos, Cyprus
Mar 9, 2021 12:02 PM - 12:55 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.62 kilometer(s)
Checklist Comments: Bird watching with Cyprus Bird Watching Tours.
3 species
Common Woodpigeon 5
Peregrine Falcon 1
Hooded Crow 3
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S83060634
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
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We drive back to Paphos and I ask my Guide to stop at a supermarket so I can buy honey for my tea. I discover Baklava at the supermarket, the biggest Baklava I have ever seen and I just had to try them even though I was on diet.
I bought one (or two) of each just to try them out. Now I have tried Persian, Turkish and Lebanon Baklava, the favourite is Baklava from Turkey. But the Baklava from Cyprus was very good. But I had to many of them and I did not feel so well when I was ready with the “tasting”
Cyprus Baklava
Cyprus Baklava, the biggest baklava I have ever seen
Third day of birding and we will take a day off tomorrow before we continue on Thursday. I have planned to go bird watching at Paphos Headland tomorrow.
Click HERE to find out if I see any birds at Paphos Headland tomorrow.


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